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You’ve spent a lot of time and energy working on a prospective client proposal and presentation. Then you learn that you didn’t win the bid. After you overcome your disappointment, what do you do next?

Below are the 5 Steps to take when you DON’T make the sale:

Contact the client to learn which company they selected and what the “tipping points” were for the selection. Letting the client know that you merely want to learn if there are any areas of growth or consideration that you and your colleagues can improve upon for the future. Be sincere and authentic in your desire to get their feedback and suggestions.

Evaluate the selection criteria from step 1 above. It’s important to determine if any of the selection criteria are areas you can improve upon, change, or are simply are beyond your control. You can learn a lot from your “losses.” Do you see a trend in the reason you’re losing business? Is the trend something that can be changed or is it a fixed trend.

Example: If you are in hotel sales and you lose business because of your location, you can’t change that – but you may be able to find positives in your location to counter the client’s objections. However, if you lose business because you don’t include breakfast in your room rate, that’s a fairly simple fix.

Establish an internal “trace date” to follow-up with the client based on benchmark dates: (1) If it’s a meeting planning contract, contact the client 30-days after the event to touch base on their event. (2) If it’s an annual contract, contact the client 90-days prior to the end of the contract term to determine level of satisfaction. (3) If it’s the sale of a product or service, contact the client 30-days after purchase to gage satisfaction.

Create a Google Alert under the client’s name to follow their progress, company news, and press releases. Staying on top of a prospective client’s news opens opportunities for you to drop them a congratulatory note for a positive outcome in their company or a door opening for you to approach them with a new product.

Maintain communications long after the initial “loss” is over. Given the Internet resources currently available, it’s easy to find ways to maintain communications with a prospect:

Connect with them on LinkedIn

Subscribe to their company’s blog or RSS feed

Create a “Stock Alert” (if they are a public company) to follow upswing in their company that may open new opportunities for you.

“Losing is only temporary and not all-encompassing. You must simply study it, learn from it, and try hard not to lose the same way again…” — John Wooden, Legendary UCLA Basketball Coach

While there are many great tips for increasing your effectiveness as a sales person, these consistently prove to be among the top 4 sales tips.

Demonstrate RespectWhen you take the time to learn a client’s business and her professional needs, you’re demonstrating respect for her as a client and a person. This might sound simple, but it is no longer the norm and therefore bears repeating. Given the easy access to information via the web, there really isn’t any excuse for not doing the homework needed before calling. A “cold call” should be “warmer” with our present day access to data.

Respond PromptlyThere is nothing that loses a sale faster than not returning a phone call or email in a timely manner. Understandably, you won’t always have an answer to a client’s questions or share the same sense of urgency that she has, but at least demonstrate “signs of life” when she leaves a message or sends an email. By responding to her call/email, you’re at least acknowledging receipt and providing an estimated time for delivery of the information requested. That said, be sure to meet that deadline with the necessary information and/or a status update.

Communicate EffectivelyMany of you who know me are aware of my personal disdain for written or electronic communication that includes multiple font types, font colors, and font sizes. The most flagrant of these occurs when someone has obviously “copy/pasted” a section of the email from another email or document. If you’re going to do this, at least take the time and demonstrate the professionalism to ensure that ALL fonts are consistent throughout your communication. Failure to do so gives the impression that you are not a person with attention to detail. For me personally, this would make me question your attention to detail in the handling of my business.

Create a Long Term RelationshipGranted, not every piece of business will be the right fit, at the right time, at the right price. However, the care, respect, and attention given during the sales process will provide future success. If clients are treated as partners in business, they will be more likely to refer others and use your product or services in the future. Customer service is the most frequent differentiating factor in making a sale.

We can automate many processes, but people still do business with people, and there’s not an app for that!

How many articles do you read that just re-spin the same information over and over again? There are so many questions people have that are just not being answered. So, my intention with this article is different. I ask YOU, what topics you would like to read/learn/hear more about?

What type of business questions would you like answered?

What topics of advice would you like to learn about?

Do you prefer to read articles, listen to podcasts, webinars, or have the option to do both?

Are you interested in learning how to do your current job better or how to transition into a new job or industry?

I am on a quest to learn more about YOU. I want to learn more about the information that YOU and others like YOU are interested in.

Please take a moment to answer the above questions in this survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YTN7KCB. I’m NOT selling anything nor will I be soliciting you afterward. I am sincerely just trying to learn more about the professional curiosities that are important to YOU and your peers.

A few years ago, Psychology Today published an article by Ray B. Williams, “Wired for Success”in which Williams argues, that if you want to “improve productivity, scrap meetings.” He sites SmartBrief on Leadership that conducted a poll asking this question, “How much time do you spend in recurring meetings?” The results of the poll indicated that 30% of the respondents are spending between 30-75% of their time in recurring meetings. (Keep in mind, these meetings may be face-to-face, conference calls, or web-based.)

That said, you undoubtedly have meetings that are absolutely necessary and you may not need to “scrap” them. However, meeting leaders are responsible for preparing for the meetings ahead of time, ensuring all attendees understand what’s expected of them prior to and during the meeting, and then the leader must manage and control the meetings efficiently.

The AgendaAn agenda is essential to a successful meeting. If the meeting’s organizer can’t take the time to create an agenda then he/she may need to rethink the need for the meeting. Meetings, by definition, are established to communicate, evaluate, discuss, and produce results. That said the agenda should be disseminated to those invited to attend in advance. There’s nothing worse than attending a meeting having not received an agenda and being asked questions or for opinions that needed advance notice or analysis.

The PreparationCreating an agenda takes time and preparation on the part of the meeting organizer. They need to determine and define the purpose of the meeting, the expectations during and following, and the objectives the meeting is intended to achieve.

In turn, the attendees should review the agenda upon receipt and ensure they too have done their homework to be prepared with the necessary information, reports, and recommendations on the topics outlined in the agenda. Quite simply, all of those seated at the meeting should be serving a purpose or a reason for their attendance and participation. As the meeting takes place, each person’s role and contribution should be demonstrated.

Business is business. Whether you’re managing a for-profit company or a non-profit association, there are common denominators that demonstrate few differences between the two business models.

As with any business, your goals guide the path you set to achieve your desired outcomes. By simply breaking this down into five common goals, it’s easy to see the similarities. Regardless of your business model, these five desired outcomes are essential to achieve a healthy organization that remains relevant, fiscally strong, and ensures loyalty among members/clients:

Goals of Your For-Profit Organization

Generate income

Minimize expenses

Ensure customer satisfaction

Increase customer base and market share

Achieve profit for owners and/or shareholders

Goals of Your Non-Profit Organization

Generate income

Minimize expenses

Ensure member satisfaction

Increase membership and community awareness

Accrue financial reserve for long-term financial viability

To remain focused on the main goals/objectives of your organization, I compare planning and decision-making to a bicycle tire. Often referred to a “hub and spoke” model, it clearly demonstrates that your core goal (represented by the hub of the wheel) remains strong and supported by the actions and strategic plans that lead to the hub (represented by the spokes of the wheel).

So how does this analogy prove useful as you manage your organization? It provides a touchstone for each decision you make and each work group or committee you establish. All strategies and tactics should lead back to supporting the hub.

As such, continually ask these questions of yourself and your colleagues: Does my plan or decision support the hub (goal) of my organization’s overall desired outcomes? Are my decisions, project work group, or committee contributing to the overall goal? If so, how do I demonstrate that connection? If not, do I need to reevaluate the relevance or strategic plan of my work group or committee?

That said, how does this apply to the adage, “business is business?” It simply means putting aside your own personal feelings, personal agenda, or decisions in the best interest of the business. This is easier said than done. However, an inability to do so results in failure if not today then tomorrow. Your first obligation is to the business and the health of that business and its employees, shareholders, members, and stakeholders. Keep in mind that the leadership and management you provide today determine the legacy you leave tomorrow.

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do. – – Eleanor Roosevelt

Who are the successful people in your life? Why are they successful? What do they know that others don’t? How did they learn to be successful? If you can answer these questions, then determining the most important interview question should be easy. We all want use the interview process to hire the right people for the right job. Therefore, let’s take a leap of faith and agree that asking the right questions will yield the right employee for the job.

The QuestionWe’ve all been through manager training courses that gave us a list of questions to ask; behaviors we should notice; and techniques for determining aptitudes. However, the most important question in an interview: “What obstacle or challenge in your personal or professional life have you overcome or resolved and how?”

I have been fortunate to know many successful people over the years. Some success is measured by money. Some is measured by independence. Some is measured by the ability to live out a dream. No matter the yardstick of measurement, each person achieved his/her success by overcoming a significant obstacle or challenge. Then, they used that experience as a springboard for their future ambitions.

The AnswerThat said, it’s not just the answer a job applicant provides, but the way in which he/she expresses himself/herself. I like problem solvers and individuals who think outside the box…creative thinkers unafraid to step out on the ledge. I want him/her to be able to clearly define their challenge, explain the process of resolution, and identify a usable outcome. As the adage goes, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Ultimately, the obstacle or challenge is far less important than how they tackled it and how they determined a process of resolution.

Like this:

I was enjoying my morning ritual of coffee, newspaper, and favorite morning talk show when the host brought up the topic of our 24/7 work lives. He used the term “reset expectations.” My ears perked up. This is such a great phrase. Let’s face it, the lines between “work hours “and “personal time” have become blurred by the accessibility that mobile technology provides. We have become inextricably connected to our jobs and as such, we begin to respond to every email regardless of the time of day or the level of importance. So, how do we regain control of our lives and our jobs? We reset expectations.

What is Resetting Expectations?If we answer our emails within minutes of receiving them regardless of the day of the week or time of the day/night, then we have set an expectation. Our clients, friends, colleagues, now expect to receive a response immediately. If they don’t, they will send the infamous “did you get my email” email reminding us that we usually respond within seconds of the “read receipt.” Furthermore, we begin to feel guilty or negligent if we don’t respond right away. Well, unless someone’s life or safety hangs in the balance, that email can probably wait until I’m back in the office tomorrow. We need to “reset expectations” so we can regain balance in our lives.

Triage Your To Do ListI think we can all agree that the volume of email requests, text messages, and comments from our social media connections inhibits our ability to manage our time most effectively. The first step in resetting expectations is to establish a triage process. The dictionary defines triage as: (1) “The determination of priorities for action in an emergency.” (2)”The process of sorting victims, as of a battle or disaster, to determine medical priority in order to increase the number of survivors.” We’re probably all more familiar with the medical application. If we go to the emergency room, the first place they send us (after collecting insurance and verifying payment) is to “Triage.” In that room a nurse makes an assessment of the urgency of our situation and prioritizes our condition relative to others.

In medical triage, we wouldn’t want someone awaiting a rhinoplasty procedure to go into surgery before a patient in need of heart bypass surgery. While the person awaiting their nose job thinks it’s pretty important, of course everything can’t be equally important. If we want to reset expectations we need to triage our requests from friends, family, clients, and colleagues to ensure the most important things are getting done first and the most important emails are being answered first. It doesn’t mean we don’t love everyone equally, it just means that we need to be more efficient, healthy, and at peace.

Communicate ExpectationsOf course we can’t reset our expectations in a vacuum. We need to communicate with our clients, colleagues, and family so there isn’t any misunderstanding. Suggestions:

Evaluate the scope of services you have with your clients and ensure you communicate and mutually agree upon the times you will be accessible. Set/reset the expectation of a reasonable time frame for discussions, deadlines, and status updates.

Use your auto-reply. Don’t just say you’re out of the office. Instead, be specific about the day, date, and times you will be unavailable and leave emergency contact information.

Show some self-discipline. Just because you can answer that email quickly, don’t. Unless you’re sitting in the dentist office with nothing else to do, chances are it’s an interruption to what you’re doing at the moment.

Put down the Blackberry and iPhone during family/social time! We all do it subconsciously. We reach for our phones, glance at our emails, look away from our conversations, and convey (though unintentionally) the message that something may come across our phone that’s more important than the person/people we’re with at the time.

Warning: I’m going to try to reset my expectations. While I am eager to receive your comments, feedback, and most of all suggestions, I will not be checking my blog via phone during dinner this evening.

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